Penny Serenade I
by Aubrey
Summary: Both Mulder and Scully are abducted and Scully has surprising medical test results!


From: Annette annette@ix.netcom.com

Subject: Penny Serenade (1/4)

Date: Sun, 25 Jan 1998 03:27:24 -0800

Penny Serenade (1/4)

By Aubrey

annette@ix.netcom.com

Rating: PG-13 strongly suggestive but not highly descriptive passages

Category: X/MSR

Spoilers - through Emily

Keywords - mythology

Date: January 1998

Summary: Both Mulder and Scully return from having disappeared for over 

three months without remembering what happened to them and are surprised by 

Scully's subsequent medical examination results. Mulder undergoes hypnosis 

to help him remember what happened while they were gone.

Archive instructions: Permission to archive or list on your web page is 

granted as long as my name and e-mail address are included. Just let me 

know where it was archived or send me the URL.

Disclaimer: All characters which have been seen or mentioned on the X-FILES 

belong to Chris Carter, Ten-Thirteen Productions, and the FOX network, and 

are used without permission. I do not seek to profit, only to entertain.

A special thanks to all each of my patient readers/editors/fanfic writing 

mentors: Rhoni, Jeannine, Aileen and Sasha.

This is my first attempt at fanfic, therefore all feedback (both negative 

and positive) will be rewarded with profuse thanks! Send all comments to 

annette@ix.netcom.com.

Penny Serenade (1/4)

Washington, D.C. General Hospital

Tuesday, April 14

10:15 P.M.

"Excuse me sir, you can't go through there!" the triage nurse shouted to 

FBI Assistant Director Skinner as he ignored her and quickly made his way 

down the hallway of the Washington, DC Hospital Emergency Ward.

"Where are the two FBI agents?" he questioned the doctors and nurses 

standing out in the hallway of busy emergency ward.

Finally one of the nurses responded, "They're in rooms 4 and 5."

"Thank you." Skinner found both Agent Fox Mulder and Agent Dana Scully in 

side-by-side rooms. Both appeared to be asleep or unconscious. "How are 

they?" he asked the doctor standing outside their rooms.

Never looking up from his chart, the doctor replied, "We're not sure yet. 

I'm waiting for the results of the tests I ordered. Both of them are 

unconscious, but other than that, their other vital signs look pretty good 

so far. It's too soon to tell, but I think they might be in some sort of 

drug-induced coma. Did either of them have any drug problems that you know 

of?"

"No! Certainly not! They have been missing for almost three months now. 

How did they get here? Who brought them here?" Skinner asked. Once 

again, as in Agent Scully's disappearance several years ago, no one could 

tell him how they had mysteriously arrived at the hospital.

A heart attack victim was being wheeled into an adjacent room and the 

doctor excused himself. Skinner looked at Mulder and Scully. Although he 

was relieved at having them back, he was angry. Chances are, neither one 

of them would remember what happened to them while they were gone. Who 

could have done this to them? What exactly did they do to them while they 

were gone? With no one around, his frustration took control; Skinner 

punched the wall. Why? 

Tuesday, April 28

2:30 P.M.

"Dana's just regained consciousness!" Margaret Scully tearfully told 

Skinner as he entered the private hospital room. Skinner looked over at 

Scully. Scully managed a weak smile when she looked back at him.

"Thank God!" he breathed. Dana whispered something to Skinner that neither 

her mother nor Skinner could make out. "What was that?" he asked her.

"Where - is - Mul-der?" she repeated. This time she managed to increase 

the volume of her voice by slowing down, but it was apparent to both her 

mother and Skinner that she was still very weak.

"He's doing fine. I just came from his room," Skinner said as he looked 

over at Mrs. Scully. "He still hasn't regained consciousness."

"What - happened - to - us?" Scully asked.

"We were hoping you would tell us, you've both been missing for almost 

three months," Skinner told her.

"Dana, right now you need your rest so it isn't important," Mrs. Scully 

added quickly, directing a sharp glare at the Assistant Director.

"No, Mom, I'm fine. - I just don't remember anything. - I don't know why 

I'm here. - The last thing I remember was going to sleep in my 

apartment..."

"Your mother's right, Scully. Try to get some rest."

Margaret Scully and her son Bill were pleasantly surprised to see Dana 

sitting up eating when they came in to see her the next morning. "Hi, 

Mom; Hi, Bill."

"Dana! It's so good to see you up!" her mother said with a smile.

"But then again, you shouldn't be here in the first place," Bill added. By 

the look on his face, his anger was obvious to Dana and she appeared 

concerned.

Sensing the tension between the two, Mrs. Scully scolded her son. "Bill, 

don't upset Dana!"

"I'm sorry, Mom. It's just..." Mrs. Scully's scornful glare converted 

Bill's expression to a forced smile. He turned to Dana. "Dana, I'm so 

glad that you're ok."

Dana finished her meal and the doctor came by to examine her. Bill 

announced he had to leave but would come by later. The doctor said it was 

ok for Dana's mother to stay. He finished examining Dana and told her she 

was coming along fine and just needed some rest. "Could I see my chart?" 

Dana was looking for clues that could help her determine what had happened 

to her. There was nothing unusual on her chart. No drugs detected in her 

system, no sign of physical injury, nothing. Just like last time. 

Although she loved her brother dearly she was relieved he was gone so that 

she could tell the doctor she wanted to see Mulder. "Doctor, I want to see 

my partner." Mrs. Scully looked protectively at Dana and then at the 

doctor.

"Fox Mulder is just down the hall." Mrs. Scully turned to Dana. "Are you 

sure you're up to this?"

"I can use a wheelchair. I *need* to see him, Mom. He was there for me 

when I was in a coma."

"I'll get someone to bring you a wheelchair," the doctor replied and left 

the room. A few minutes later a nurse came by with a wheelchair and helped 

Dana get into it. Margaret Scully was glad to see her daughter smile in 

anticipation of visiting her partner. However, she worried about how she 

would feel seeing him unconscious.

As they entered the room, Mrs. Scully watched Dana's reaction when she 

first saw her partner. Taking a deep breath, Dana asked for the nurse to 

move her wheelchair so she could get up close to the head of Mulder's bed. 

Stepping instinctively into her doctor role, she looked up at the monitors 

to interpret the information displayed. "Mom, he's going to be ok. I just 

don't understand why he isn't awake yet." Scully took Mulder's hand into 

both of hers and looked pensively at his face. "Mulder, you're going to be 

just fine, do you hear me? I'm here for you, like you were for me." A 

tear ran down Dana's cheek.

"Dana..." Mrs. Scully didn't like to see her daughter upset like this. She 

knew how important Mulder was to her but she felt that Dana needed to 

concentrate on her own recovery right now.

"I'm fine, Mom! Mulder needs me and I need to do this." The nurse nodded 

at Mrs. Scully and left the room. Dana Scully sat there silently for about 

five minutes holding his hand. Looking at Mulder, she struggled to 

remember what had happened to them. Unlike the last time she had returned 

from being missing, this time she wanted to know what happened. "Mom, this 

is going to sound really strange."

"Go ahead, Dana."

"Did you ever wake up from a dream frightened, not being able to remember 

what it was about, but your heart was still racing? Well, I can't remember 

what happened, but the emotions and the feelings I experienced... I'm still 

experiencing them. I can remember fear, pain, and this is the strange 

part- I remember feeling very close to Mulder."

"Everyone has dreams like that sometimes, dear. Maybe you're trying too 

hard. Don't tire yourself out trying to remember- it may come back to you 

on its own. You should be going back to your room now."

"I know. Just give me just a few more minutes with Mulder. I need to talk 

to him."

"I'll tell you what, I'm going to the bathroom and when I get back, I'll 

wheel you back to your room." Mrs. Mulder left Dana alone with Fox so she 

could speak to him privately.

"Mulder, I don't know what happened but I'm hoping you'll remember. I feel 

closer to you for some reason. Something must have happened to bring us 

closer together. I just don't know what. Mulder, please wake up." Dana 

was confused and frustrated by her feelings. "Mulder... Mulder, I need 

your help." Somehow, Dana felt that this would work. Dana felt the hand 

she held tighten its grip on hers. She smiled- it was working! "Mulder, 

you can hear me! Please, open your eyes and look at me." The grip 

loosened a bit and she saw his lips move. "Keep going, Mulder, open those 

beautiful eyes of yours and look at me!" The words that just came out of 

her mouth surprised her. It must have been a strong enough incentive for 

him, because he opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Scully..." his lips seemed to mouth without any sound. Scully put a 

finger to his lips.

"Shhh! Don't try to talk. It's ok. You're going to be ok."

They gazed into each other's eyes without speaking. Dana's mother, who had 

been watching for the last few minutes, broke her silence. "Welcome back, 

Fox!" she smiled at him. She hugged her daughter as tears ran down their 

faces.

Just then the nurse came back in. "Well, Mr. Mulder, you've decided to join 

us after all this time," the nurse smiled and adjusted his oxygen tube.

"How - long..." he started. "...have - I - been - here? What - happened?"

"We were both missing for almost three months, Mulder, and we've been here 

for over two weeks. I just woke up yesterday."

"You too, Scully?" he looked at Scully with a hurt expression. Although he 

couldn't remember what had happened, he felt the same emotions Scully felt. 

"I can feel what happened, but I can't remember."

"That actually makes sense to me, Mulder, because I'm experiencing the same 

thing you are." They continued to look deep into each other's eyes, 

holding hands. Mrs. Scully knew one thing that must have happened while 

they were gone. She knew that look.

"It is time for you to go back to your room, Agent Scully," the nurse told 

her.

Mulder and Scully didn't take their eyes off one another. Mulder noticed 

that Scully wasn't making any motion to leave. "You should go now, 

Scully."

"Ok, Mulder. I'll come back as soon as I can." Scully held on to Mulder's 

hand until the nurse wheeled her out of reach. They continued to look into 

each other's eyes, as if it would help them remember. Without speaking, 

they both knew that their next challenge would be to find out what had 

happened to them, one way or another.

Scully's Apartment

Tuesday, May 5

1:30 P.M.

Scully went to her door to answer the doorbell. "Who's there?"

"Scully, it's me."

She swung the door open. "What are you doing here, Mulder? Did you drive? 

You know the doctor said you aren't supposed to drive for another week!"

"What, you aren't glad to see me?" When Dana's angry look did not 

dissipate, Mulder continued. "I got a ride over here from your brother."

"What?" Scully's eyebrows arched. "Now I know you're lying!"

"No, I'm telling the truth. He came over and we had a long talk. I think 

we're going to be friends now."

Dana just shook her head in disbelief. "I'm not going to ask you how you 

did it, but if that's true, well, Mulder..."

"I just told him how I felt about you Dana, and that seemed to reassure him 

that I would never intentionally do anything to hurt you."

She noticed that he called her Dana. "What exactly did you tell him?"

"I told him that I was quitting the X-Files because I have decided that 

your safety is more important to me. I can't subject you to any more of 

this, Scully."

Scully felt herself getting very angry. "Fox Mulder, I'm not letting you 

do this! Do you understand? I know how important your work is to you and 

I won't allow it!"

"Scully, it's too late. I have already submitted my letter requesting a 

transfer back to the VC section. Bill drove me over to Skinner's office to 

turn it in."

"Skinner accepted it?"

"Of course he did. He believed that we had been killed when we 

disappeared. He agrees that this has gone too far. He doesn't want to 

risk losing us. We are his best agents."

"We? I didn't quit the X-Files! It is just like you to assume that I 

would quit just because you did." Scully was very angry with Mulder. The 

intensity of her emotion surprised her. Her heart was racing and she 

looked fiercely into his eyes. It is almost if we're two lovers having a 

fight. She was puzzled by this thought.

He was hurt. He didn't know what to say. He figured that anything he said 

would be taken the wrong way- a no-win situation that married men complain 

about. Funny, he noted that he was thinking of Scully as his wife or at 

least that this was similar to some sort of lovers' quarrel.

"Scully, I'm sorry. I guess I just can't bear the thought of you being 

hurt again. Especially when I feel responsible for what happened to you. 

Can you forgive me for that?"

"Mulder, you know how I feel about having you protect me."

"I can't help it, Scully." He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a 

number. "Yes, can I have the number for a Taxi?"

After he left Scully called Skinner but he was out. She left a message for 

him to call her when he got in.

That night Scully wondered about the conversation that took place between 

her brother and Mulder. She called Bill up. "Tara, hi. This is Dana. 

How's the baby?... Great... Oh, I'm fine. Is Bill busy?... Bill. What 

did Mulder say to you today? I want a detailed account- word for word."

"Dana, I went over there to give him a piece of my mind now that he's well 

enough to receive it."

"Bill, he's still recovering."

"I know. I wouldn't have hit him or anything, even though I really wanted 

to, believe me. We talked and he said that he cared about you enough to 

quit the X-Files. That's all I ever wanted, Dana, to know that he is 

concerned about your well being as much as I am. He should be, after all, 

he *is* your partner."

A bit disappointed for some reason that she was unsure of, Dana thanked 

Bill and told him to give the baby and Tara kisses for her. After Dana had 

been missing for over three months, Ma Scully was beginning to lose hope 

that she would ever see Dana again. Bill had taken a leave of absence to 

bring his family over to stay with her for a while. Now that Dana was 

found and she was ok, Bill was going to return home. "Have a safe trip 

home, Bill. And, thanks."

The next morning, Scully's doorbell woke her up. She couldn't believe that 

she had slept so long or that Skinner's phone call hadn't woken her up yet. 

"Who is it?"

"I have a delivery for you ma'am." Scully, still a bit apprehensive, 

reached for her gun and held it in the pocket of her robe. Looking through 

the keyhole, she could see that it was a young man with a box of flowers. 

She opened the door, and thanked him as she took the flowers.

"Well I'll be damned..." She read the card, "I hope these will make you 

feel better. I haven't been able to. Love, Mulder." Mulder- sending her 

flowers? What has gotten into him? For a moment, she thought about the 

conflicting thoughts she faced. All the emotions she felt when she awoke 

from the coma- they could have been drug-induced. Dana didn't think much 

more about it, but decided to give Mulder a call.

"Hello, Scully", he answered the phone.

She smiled at his expecting her to call. "They delivered the roses. Thank 

you, Mulder. They did make me feel better."

"I need to talk to you, Scully. These feelings I had after I woke up... 

they are starting to fade just like a dream upon waking. I want to 

remember what happened."

"Mulder, I'm going through the same thing. I just don't know what we can 

do. I still don't remember what happened the first time I was taken. 

Maybe those feelings are just the result of dreams we had." There was a 

pause where neither of them spoke. "Mulder, I do want to see you though. 

We have doctor appointments scheduled for this afternoon. In fact, it's 

almost time for my mom to pick us up! How about having her drop us off 

here after our appointments and you can catch a cab home later on? It'll 

give us some time to talk."

End of Penny Serenade (1/4)

Penny Serenade (2/4)

General Hospital Medical Center

Later That Afternoon

After their examinations were completed, Dr. Peterson had a consultation 

with Scully, Mulder and Mrs. Scully in his office. "Both your tests came 

out fine with nothing unusual to report except for one of your blood tests, 

Dr. Scully."

"What was it, Doctor? Is something wrong?" Mulder asked, looking more 

concerned than Scully did.

The doctor hesitated and let out a long sigh. Maybe not, I don't know how 

you're going to feel about this." Looking at Dana, he bit his lower lip. 

"HCG was detected in your blood."

Dana's jaw dropped as she gave a shocked, puzzled look to the doctor. 

"What? But, that's... impossible!"

"What's wrong, Scully?" Mulder asked her, fearing that her cancer had 

returned.

Ignoring both her mother and Mulder she continued to discuss her condition 

with the doctor. "I was diagnosed as being unable to have children after 

my last disappearance."

"That's what interests me, Dr. Scully. What was done to you during your 

last disappearance appears to have been 'reversed' somehow. This pregnancy 

almost seems to have been a test to see if the reversal worked."

Realizing that Dana was pregnant, Mulder and Mrs. Scully exchanged somewhat 

relieved, but very surprised looks.

Dana didn't appear to be relieved. "First I don't remember a thing, and 

now... Oh my God, what if this baby isn't normal? I want to have some 

tests done."

Dr. Peterson nodded in agreement. "Also... how do I say this?" He looked 

at Scully and then at Mulder. I suggest that we run a paternity test to 

see if you're the father, Agent Mulder."

Scully and Mulder looked at each other, surprised. Mulder was speechless 

for a moment. He never really thought about becoming a father- especially 

when he didn't remember participating in the child's conception. Mulder 

looked away from Scully. "Sure, I'll go through the paternity test."

"Mulder," Scully uttered a bit awkwardly, looking away from him, "I don't 

believe I'm saying this, but it could have been artificial insemination."

Just like the rational Scully- an alternative explanation, Mulder 

thought. The doctor saved them both from further embarrassment by sending 

them their separate ways to different labs. Mrs. Scully promised to track 

both of them so she could drive them to Scully's apartment, as they had 

requested. They really had something to talk about now.

The tests were done, and there was nothing they could do but wait. Mrs. 

Scully dropped them both off, kissing and hugging them both, and telling 

them not to stay up too late.

Dana and Fox both sat on the couch in Dana's apartment and stared at the 

wall in front of them without speaking for quite some time. Mulder finally 

broke the silence. "Scully, I know how this is going to turn out." She 

looked over at him now although he continued to stare at the wall. "This 

child you're carrying will turn out to be mine and it will be perfectly 

normal, well, except for the fact that it's mine, of course." Scully 

didn't respond. Mulder continued, "I know this- Scully, the feelings I 

had, we had, after we woke up, they were so strong. They're consistent 

with what I believe now. This child has to be mine. Scully, how do *you* 

feel?" He looked at her now. She continued to look at him. Looking into 

his eyes was difficult. He seemed so, so vulnerable. She didn't want to 

hurt him.

"Mulder, I'm really sorry, I don't know what to feel right now. I guess 

I'm really scared to consider the different possibilities. I mean, this 

baby I'm carrying could be another Emily. What'll I do then? Or what if 

the baby is normal but it belongs to someone like Cancerman? Or what if it 

*is* yours, Mulder?"

"Well, I'd like to think that the last possibility is the best out of the 

three, Scully..." He gave her a half smile, but she didn't seem to see the 

humor in the situation.

"Mulder, I'm sorry, I guess this is just so bizarre, and I can't remember 

anything, damn it!" She stood up but they continued to look at each other. 

"Right now, I can't even talk about this." Mulder could see that she 

wasn't angry at him; she was frustrated at the situation they found 

themselves in.

He stood up and hugged her. Mulder released his arms enough to lift her 

chin. He spoke softly, almost in a whisper. "Look at me, Scully. It's 

alright. We don't have to talk about this now. I just want you to know, 

that no matter what the test results are, I will be there for you, and with 

you, no matter what happens." His lips met hers for a brief moment and 

then she buried her head against his chest sobbing quietly. It was a bit 

strange for both of them. Although they never kissed like that, it seemed 

such a comfortable and natural thing for them to do.

Mulder spent the night in her apartment. They ordered a pizza to be 

delivered and watched an old Cary Grant movie on TV. Both of them cried 

during the movie. It seemed to hit too close to home. Like Scully, the 

woman in the movie had been unable to have her own children. When the 

couple goes to finalize the adoption of a little girl they have cared for, 

they are told they don't qualify- just as Scully was. Overcoming these 

obstacles and adopting the little girl, the child dies when she is about 

five years old- again, similar to Scully losing Emily.

Finally, in the movie, the couple can't take the loss of the child and they 

are about to split up when the unexpected prospect of adopting a little boy 

brings them back together.

"I don't know why this movie was on TV tonight, Scully."

"Or why we chose to watch it, Mulder."

"It was fate, Scully. Maybe this baby will bring us together too." They 

both looked briefly at each other. Neither wanted to venture further into 

discussion on the subject.

"Sure. Fine. Whatever." Scully threw Mulder a pillow and a blanket from 

her hall closet. She paused and saw him watching her. She walked over to 

him without saying anything. With a quick brush of her lips on his, Scully 

kissed Mulder goodnight. She was somewhat puzzled at how quickly they had 

both become comfortable with the casual kisses they had just started 

exchanging.

Mulder saw it as another sign and continued to watch her as she walked into 

her bedroom. However, unlike Scully who went to sleep refusing to think 

anymore about it, he spent a restless night considering the 

possibilities...

Dana awoke to the phone ringing. "Hello?"

"Dana, I have your test results."

She got out of bed and put her robe on. "Already? I thought they would 

take longer."

"Well, it seems that the FBI has taken an interest in this and has 

prioritized the processing of your tests to aid in the investigation of 

your disappearance. I thought I would notify you of your results before we 

released the results to them..."

"They what? Scully suddenly remembered that Skinner had not returned her 

call. She sighed and tried to swallow a lump that quickly formed in her 

throat. "What are the results?"

"I'm pleased to inform you that the baby is a healthy, normal baby... did 

you want to know the sex of the baby?"

By this time, Mulder had gotten up and walked over to Scully's bedroom. 

"Mulder the baby is healthy and normal. Do we want to know if it's a boy 

or a girl?" Mulder answered that it was up to her, although he thanked her 

for asking him. "Yes, Doctor."

"Is that Agent Mulder you were speaking to just now?"

"Yes, he's here with me." As she listened to the doctor Fox looked at her 

blank, somewhat shocked expression and suddenly felt quite nauseous. 

"Thank you, Doctor," Dana stated and hung up the phone, expressionless.

"Well, Dana? Please! What did he say?"

"Mulder, he told me to tell you that you're going to be the father of a 

healthy, normal baby boy." Now both of them had the same blank, somewhat 

shocked expressions on their faces as the stared at each other speechless 

for a moment. Dana looked away. "Mulder, I'm really confused. Now that I 

know, I mean, I don't remember us... I'm not sure how I feel about this 

whole thing, I'm sorry." Tears began to form in her eyes.

"Scully, maybe the emotional turmoil is partially due to your condition."

"See, this is exactly what I mean. There you go again!"

"Scully, I'm sorry, but it seems like I'm always walking on eggshells with 

you. I can't do or say anything right. I feel as if we're already 

married."

"Who said anything about us getting married?!" She was puzzled as much as 

she was angry because she had been thinking the same thing.

"Scully, that's it!" He paused. "I'm not going to say another word." 

Mulder looked at her. The same woman who had lovingly kissed him last 

night now looked at him as if he had raped her to get her pregnant. "Oh 

no, that can't be it. You don't think that I raped you, do you?"

"Auuugh!" Scully cried in frustration as she pushed him out of the bedroom 

and slammed the door in his face. "Go away Mulder, I need to be alone 

right now."

"Scully, I'm so, so sorry! Please, let's talk some more about this."

"I can't talk about this right now. Please, Mulder." Mulder could tell by 

the despair in her voice that she needed her space. Reluctantly, he 

stopped trying to get her to talk to him.

"Alright, Scully, I'm calling a cab," he told her sadly. She opened the 

door and watched him as he dialed the number he had written on her notepad 

the last time. As he requested the cab, he glanced over at her. Both of 

them looked at each other with hurt expressions. They wondered how what 

should have been the best news the doctor could have given them had 

resulted in this. They should have been in each other's arms and yet they 

couldn't even stay in the same apartment. Mulder walked over to Scully and 

gave her another one of those quick light kisses. His voice returned to 

almost a whisper. "I'm going to wait downstairs for the cab, Scully. If 

there's anything you need, or if you decide you're ready to talk, call me." 

She nodded slowly as he turned and left.

When he got back to his apartment, Mulder decided that he was well enough 

to return to his work. He had told Scully he was quitting the X-Files, but 

he was not going to quit trying to find out the truth about what had 

happened to them. He called Dr. Heitz Werber, the hypnotist that helped 

him remember what happened the day Samantha was abducted. The hypnotist 

said that a couple of patients had cancelled their appointments and that he 

could see him that afternoon. It feels really good getting behind the 

wheel again he thought as he pulled into traffic.

On the way, he thought about how much he wanted to remember. It's not so 

much that I want to know who took us and why; it's that I want to remember 

what happened between me and Scully. He thought about how it could have 

been- having sex with her. How could I forget something like that?! He 

experienced the familiar excitement he felt whenever he thought of making 

love to her. Strangely, it was a little different this time. He could 

almost feel her body beneath him. Of course, it was possible that they 

didn't make love, but he wanted it to have happened. I know it happened. 

I can feel it somehow.

Mulder made sure that the session was being videotaped so he could play it 

back for Scully after they were through. Maybe watching it together would 

help them remember. "Sit back and relax, Mr. Mulder. Breathe deeply and 

focus on the flower on the wall in front of you..."

Scully was angry with herself for treating Mulder the way she had. 

Whenever I get close to anyone- I push them away! Mulder was getting way 

too close. God, he must have been *really* close to be the father... She 

looked down at her stomach. She placed her hand on the life growing inside 

her, wondering how this could have happened. Was I artificially 

inseminated? Did I have sex with Mulder? She couldn't imagine having 

sex with him and not remembering it. The very thought of it excited her. 

She sighed and pushed the thought out of her mind, as she always did 

whenever similar thoughts about him entered her mind. I can't think that 

way about him. We have to work together. God, how are we going to work 

together now? She buried her face in her hands. I should be happy 

right now. After all, I wanted to be able to have a child. It was just 

that she imagined myself being married and...

The phone rang and she answered it before she had a chance to wonder if it 

was Mulder calling. "Oh hello, Mom. The doctor said that the baby is a 

healthy baby boy and... it's Mulder's."

"Oh Dana! That's wonderful news. I knew it was possible by the way you 

and Fox were looking at each other when you two first woke up."

"Then why can't I remember anything? And why can't I be happy about this? 

What's wrong with me, Mom?" Dana began to sob audibly on the phone.

"Dana, you're entitled to be upset, with everything that's happened to you. 

And you're pregnant, dear! You're going to have a lot of emotions with no 

rational explanation for them."

"Oh Mom, Mulder was right and all I did was tell him to leave me alone. I 

pushed him away."

"Dana, do you want me to come over?"

"No Mom, I need to be with Mulder right now."

Dana's attempt at reaching Mulder was in vain. He didn't answer at his 

apartment and he wasn't answering his cell phone. I will give him some 

time before I go out looking for him she thought.

Meanwhile Mulder was in a deep trance, providing a detailed account of his 

experiences. He had turned his cell phone off before the session started. 

He didn't think there was much chance Dana would want to talk to him for 

quite some time.

The video camera recorded his story. Dr. Werber worried that Mulder would 

be disappointed. Fox's ramblings were the most incredible the hypnotist 

had heard yet, stranger than his previous account of his sister Samantha's 

abduction. The poor man could sell them as a plot for a great sci-fi 

movie perhaps he thought. When the session was through, the hypnotist 

brought Mulder back and turned the camera off. "Well, here is your tape, 

Mr. Mulder. Hope it was what you expected. Good luck in trying to remember 

what happened." Mulder thanked him and took the tape home.

When he opened the door to his apartment, he found Scully waiting there for 

him. "Scully, how did you get here?" he asked her.

"Mulder, I saw you driving from the window, so don't start on me."

"Regardless, it's good that you're here. We can watch this together to 

find out what happened to us."

"What do you mean?"

"I underwent hypnosis and this is the tape of it. This may help us 

remember what happened."

"Of course," Scully replied with her usual smirk and raised eyebrow, as she 

sat next to Mulder in front of the VCR.

End of Penny Serenade (2/4)

Penny Serenade (3/4)

Mulder started the VCR. After a few seconds of raster, an image of Mulder 

sitting in a chair facing the camera appeared.

[Agent Mulder, I've started the tape. I want you to relax...] Dr. Werber 

began. Scully and Mulder watched the Mulder on the TV become more and more 

relaxed in his chair until he was actually slumped over. [Agent Mulder, I 

want you to think back to the middle of January when you were first 

reported missing. Do you remember what happened?]

[I just remember going to sleep on my couch that night and then waking up 

in a strange place. I don't remember how I got there,] Mulder said in a 

trance-like state. [I was in a small white room with only a bed, and a 

dresser that was also a desk. There was a mirror. It had a small bathroom 

with a toilet and a shower off to the side.]

Just then Scully flinched. Mulder hit the pause button on the remote 

control button. "What is it, Scully?"

"I don't know. I just had some sort of flashback of, well..."

"What, Scully?"

"I can see that room, Mulder. And I see you standing in the shower." Not 

only did Scully "see" the scene in her mind, but she experienced the strong 

physical feeling of desire as if it were actually happening. The short 

gasp for breath she made and the flush of color that appeared on her face 

did not go unnoticed by Mulder.

If I had known this could get a woman so excited, I would have been 

showing tapes of my hypnosis sessions to girlfriends years ago. She's 

getting excited over seeing me in the shower! Not wanting to get Scully 

upset at him with his thoughts on what she said, he tried to encourage her 

to go on. "What else do you remember, Scully?"

Relieved that Mulder didn't appear to notice her face grow hot, she tried 

to recover. "It was just an image, Mulder, that's all. It may just be the 

power of suggestion from listening to your tape."

"Well, let's continue through this and if either of us remember anything, 

we can stop the VCR and talk about it."

Mulder turned the machine back on. [I got up and tried to open the door to 

the room. It was locked. I guess I panicked at the thought of being 

trapped. I tried banging on the door. 'Hey! Anyone out there? Hey!' No 

one came. I continued to bang on the door and kick it. 'Ouch!'] Scully 

noticed that as the taped Mulder wrinkled his face in pain, so did Mulder.

[What happened, Agent Mulder?]

[I was wearing slippers. I noticed that I was wearing a cross between 

hospital clothing and a prison uniform. I placed my ear to the door but I 

didn't hear anything. I tried ramming the door open with my shoulder but 

all I did was hurt my shoulder.] Once again, Scully noticed that as the 

taped Mulder rubbed his shoulder, Mulder rubbed his shoulder too, as if he 

were feeling the pain again.

[What did you do next?]

[I started looking in the drawers. I found wash cloths, towels, bed linens 

and extra clothing. I realized I wasn't wearing any underwear when I 

noticed there wasn't any in the dresser. There was a center drawer that 

contained a manual and a videotape. 'Instructions for new inhabitants. 

Hmmm. Not my usual brand of entertainment. Ok, where is the VCR?'] 

Mulder alternated from telling about what happened to actually saying what 

he was thinking or saying at the time.

Mulder suddenly stopped the tape. "Scully, I think I remember the VCR! It 

was hidden in the wall."

He continued to play the tape and the Mulder on the screen continued his 

tale. [I found a panel above the desk. I tried pulling on it but it 

wouldn't open. Finally I pushed one of the corners in the panel swung 

open. There was a VCR and monitor. I put the tape in and started watching 

it.]

Mulder pressed the pause button on the remote.

"Scully, see- that's proof I remembered part of what happened."

"Not necessarily, it could just mean you remembered what you said under 

hypnosis," Scully tried to keep Mulder from getting his hopes up too soon. 

Mulder looked over at her and knew that she needed to be convinced. 

Scully's sister talked her into seeing a hypnotist a few years ago to 

remember what happened the first time she was abducted. Mulder felt it 

could have helped, had Scully been opened-minded enough to complete the 

initial session. He pressed the play button once again.

[A mature male voice went through the instructions while the words he spoke 

were displayed on the screen.] Mulder lowered his voice a bit to imitate 

what he heard:

['Welcome new inhabitant. Please remain calm. What follow are the rules 

for your stay. You will awaken each day at the sound of the bell. You 

will take a shower and change your clothing. You will then play the tape 

you have received through the slot in wall behind you. It will provide you 

with instructions for the day. Your door will open at the sound of the 

bell. You will then proceed in an orderly fashion through the door and 

follow the lit arrows to your designated dining area. No talking is 

allowed. You may sit in any of the chairs after picking up your food tray. 

You have 25 minutes to eat. At the end of 20 minutes a warning bell will 

sound. You have five minutes to return to your designated habitat to carry 

out the instructions you have been given in your daily videotape. Feeding 

sessions are conducted three times daily. At the end of the working and 

feeding sessions you will be allowed two hours of unallocated time. 

Failure to follow these general instructions or your daily instructions 

will result in electrocutions through the collar on your neck.']

Mulder's voice in the video changed back to his normal voice. ['How am I 

supposed to tell time when they took my watch?' They placed some sort of 

metal band just above my right elbow and I felt a metal collar around my 

neck. 'Where the hell am I, in some sort of bad science fiction movie?']

Both Mulder and Scully reached for their necks. They looked over at each 

other. "Scully, do you have a feeling that something's missing?"

"Ok, it does feel as if I forgot to put my wrist watch on, except that it 

belongs on my neck and elbow," Scully sighed. She still wasn't convinced 

it wasn't just the power of suggestion acting on them but decided to 

refrain from making that comment again. I'm trying to be open minded 

about this. After what might be an actual memory of watching Mulder in the 

shower, I *really* want to remember! It felt so real...

"I can see you're still not convinced, Scully."

"Mulder, I'm trying very hard..."

"I could see that, when you remembered seeing me in the shower." Mulder 

ducked. Embarrassed that Mulder did detect her physical reaction to the 

memory, she could only glare at him. He looked away, cleared his throat 

and pressed the play button.

[The elbow band looked like it was made of some sort of metal. I looked at 

the collar in the mirror and it looked the same. I couldn't figure out any 

way of getting either of them off. There wasn't anything I could cut them 

with.]

The videotaped Mulder flinched. [An alarm went off and the door opened. I 

stepped outside and saw all these people dressed just like I was, silently 

marching in the direction of lit arrows, just like they were supposed to.] 

The Mulder in the video got a twisted expression on his face.

[What's wrong, Agent Mulder? What's happening?] Dr. Werber prompted him to 

continue.

[Scully? I see Scully. Or do I just want to see her? But I don't want to 

see her. I want her to be safe, asleep in her apartment.]

Scully got irritated at how even Mulder's subconscious mind sought to 

protect her. She resisted having Mulder stop the tape so that she could 

express this.

['Scully!'] The taped Mulder shrunk back in his chair in pain.

[Agent Mulder, what is happening?]

[It was her. I called her name and I got shocked for talking.]

Scully looked over at Mulder on the tape and then at Mulder sitting next to 

her. Both appeared to be in pain. "Mulder, are you alright?" She stopped 

the tape.

"Scully, I have this sharp pain from elbow to my neck." His voice was 

strained and he appeared to be in a lot of pain. For a moment Scully 

stepped into her doctor role and feared heart attack symptoms. Then she 

remembered the tape. She unbuttoned Mulder's shirt and placed her ear to 

his chest. His heart was beating fast, but otherwise normal.

He looked down at her head on his chest and got a dreamy look on his face. 

"I feel better now, Dr. Scully."

"Mulder, I was seriously thinking that you could be having heart attack 

symptoms! That wasn't funny." He stopped smiling and buttoned up his 

shirt.

"Scully, I really did feel the sharp pain. It was so real."

"Just play the tape, Mulder."

The taped Mulder continued. [I fell to the ground and she ran to my side 

and helped me get up. She silently motioned for me to follow her to where 

the rest of the people, like mindless sheep, were going. We got our food 

trays. I thought about how we could communicate. There were paper and 

pens back in the rooms. I could pass her a note and together we could work 

on getting out of there.]

The taped Mulder shook his head. [Scully was one step ahead of me. She 

sat down next to me and scratched her habitat number, '227', in her Jell-O. 

I scratched '229' in mine.] The Mulder in the tape smiled. [She ate a 

layer of Jell-O off to get a clean writing surface and she scratched 'go to 

227' on it. She cleaned it again and scratched, 'not 229'. Scully was 

inviting me to her room. I was so excited by this I completely forgot 

about the collar.]

[She went in the room first and I walked in a minute later. We waited 

until the door closed and then she started talking. 'Scully, why aren't we 

getting fried?' She reminded me that talking wasn't allowed outside the 

room, but that inside the room it was ok. I thought about how the yelling 

and screaming didn't get me shocked when I first woke up. Scully figured 

that I could go in her room without getting zapped. She said somehow she 

just knew, but I thought Scully knew all this stuff because she was there 

before.]

[Agent Mulder,] Dr. Werber continued. [Did Scully tell you that she had 

been there before?]

[No, she didn't. But she had to be...]

[Continue Agent Mulder. What did the two of you talk about?]

[Neither of us could remember getting there. It was the first day either 

of us had been awake. 'Where are we? What were we doing there? Who put 

us there? Why?' The meal we had was the last feeding session of the day 

and that we had about two hours to plan an escape before they turned the 

power off to the room. It seemed almost impossible- we didn't have 

weapons, we had shocking collars around our necks they controlled... 

Scully thought we should try waiting in our rooms a minute or two and then 

going in a direction opposite to the arrows when the crowd was thick. We 

could travel in the middle of the crowd and maybe they wouldn't see us. We 

didn't know where it would lead us but it was all we could think of. We 

were going to try it the next morning.]

The videotaped Mulder grew silent and smiled. [Scully and I laid on the 

bed together and watched TV.]

[You watched the videotapes?] Dr. Werber asked.

[No, it was a regular TV, with regular TV programs on it.]

[What did you watch?]

[I know we didn't get the Playboy Channel. We watched CNN, and some 

sitcom. It was nice to know that our world was still out there. I was 

beginning to wonder if we weren't on some other planet.] The videotaped 

Mulder smiled once more. [Scully asked me how did I know that it wasn't a 

videotape they made before we took off? Just then the lights and the TV 

went out.] Mulder's voice changed to a childish tone,['Night-night, 

Scully.']

His voice changed to imitate the childish voice Scully responded to him 

with. ['I'm scared, Mulder.']

His voice changed again to a serious adult tone. ['I'm here with you and I 

won't let anything happen to you.']

Mulder stopped the tape. He had a disturbed look on his face.

"What's wrong, Mulder?"

"I don't know. I just wanted to take a break for a minute." He got up and 

went to the bathroom.

Scully thought of how the childish dialog might have reminded him of 

Samantha's abduction and she felt bad about it. I don't remember it, but 

I feel guilty for saying it. I guess Mulder would conclude that this 

proves I must've said it. 

Just then Scully had another longer flashback... Scully remembered being 

in the small white room with Mulder. The bathroom didn't have a door and 

they had to take turns taking showers. They looked away from each other as 

they undressed. Mulder went first. He dried himself off and wrapped a 

towel around his waist. Scully went in and turned to make sure Mulder was 

looking away before she removed her towel. She was surprised to find 

herself disappointed that he didn't even try to look over. Before she 

removed her eyes from him, he dropped his towel. She gasped and 

reluctantly looked away.

I need to get done quickly. I can't get distracted by that incredibly 

attractive man getting dressed just five feet away from me, totally nude... 

Dana Katherine Scully! Stop that! She looked straight ahead and 

continued washing herself determinedly. She had seen him without his 

clothes on before and each time she scolded herself for having such unclean 

thoughts about what she would like to do with him. It must be my Catholic 

upbringing. Scully felt Mulder watching her and looked over at him. 

Surprised (but not really disappointed) that he was, she made a vain 

attempt at covering herself and splashed water at him. "Mulder!" That was 

the end of the flashback. Was this a dream? Or did it really happen? 

she still wondered.

Mulder had returned from the bathroom a minute earlier and had paused to 

watch Dana's face as she was having the flashback. She has this 

incredible look of sheer ecstasy. I wish I could share that memory she's 

having! 

She let out a long, deep sigh and caught Mulder looking over at her. She 

coughed nervously. "Mulder, I think I've had a another flashback. I 

remembered being in the room with you. It wasn't anything you talked about 

on the tape."

"Scully, you have to tell me exactly what you remember. Then if I refer to 

it on the tape, it'll show that we both independently remembered the same 

thing!"

Scully hesitated and then began. "Mulder, I remember that we traded off 

taking showers and that we caught each other looking at each other. I 

called your name and splashed water at you. That's all I remember." 

Mulder smiled at the image her words painted in his mind, remembering the 

physical response she exhibited during her flashback.

"Good, let's continue watching." He pressed the play button on the remote.

Mulder curled up in his chair on the tape. [We fall asleep curled up next 

to each other.] He took a deep breath. [The bed is small for two people. 

She is soft and warm and feels so good.] He closed his eyes and his 

desire showed on his face. [I want her.]

[Agent Mulder, did you have sex with her that night?] Both Mulder and 

Scully sat forward on the couch a bit, anxiously awaiting the taped 

Mulder's response.

[No, we went to sleep. We are best friends. We don't do that. I love and 

respect her too much to have taken advantage of the situation we were in.]

They both sat back. Scully took the remote control out of Mulder's hand 

and pressed the pause button. "Mulder, did you tell him that I'm 

pregnant?"

"No, Scully. I only told him that we disappeared together and neither of 

us remembered what happened. Why did you ask me that?"

"I just wanted to make sure that his questions weren't leading you to say 

what he expected you to say." Scully stopped the tape for another reason. 

For the first time in the four years they had worked together, she had 

heard Mulder say that he wanted her. She knew that he loved and respected 

her by the way he treated her, but he had never admitted to wanting her. 

Sure there was the occasional innuendo, but she always dismissed it as 

Mulder trying to make a joke.

Could he have been waiting for me to respond to his jokes? No, that 

couldn't be it. She thought of the time they were stranded in the forest 

in Florida. Mulder had made a suggestive comment about getting warm by 

crawling naked with someone in a sleeping bag. Instead of dismissing the 

remark, she responded by telling him that if it started raining sleeping 

bags, he might get lucky. He didn't make the next move. She dismissed the 

comment on the tape as an effect of the hypnosis. She went to press the 

play button on the remote, and Mulder stopped her.

"Wait a minute, Scully. I've got to say that I am beginning to feel 

awkward about this. I don't know what I am going to say next on that tape. 

I feel emotionally naked to you. You are seeing the inside of my mind..."

"Mulder, stop. If you want to watch this by yourself first, I'll 

understand."

"No, that's not it, Scully."

"Well, if you mean that some of the stuff you are saying is just a result 

of the hypnosis and it really isn't true..." Scully looked away from 

Mulder, visibly hurt.

"No, Scully. I meant what I said. Look at me!" She looked up. "I meant 

what I said. I need you to know that. The fact is, somehow I got you 

pregnant and it's important to me that you know that I meant what I said." 

They looked in each other's eyes and Dana began to cry.

"Oh Mulder, I never thought that you took advantage of me. You know how 

much love and respect I have for you. You have been there for me through 

my cancer, through Emily. Even though we don't talk very much about our 

feelings for each other, I can assure you, anything that happened between 

us was based on mutual consent." She slowly brought her lips to meet his 

and for one brief moment, both of them had a flashback of a single red 

rose. They could smell it, and even taste it. When their lips separated, 

Mulder mentioned it.

"Scully, I just had a very powerful image of a red rose. I could see it, 

smell it and..."

"Taste it." Scully finished his sentence. "So could I Mulder." Scully 

was beginning to dismiss her dream theory. Could all of this have 

actually happened? 

Mulder smiled. They were making progress. He pressed play.

Mulder continued his story. [An alarm woke us up. Scully's daily 

videotape was there for her to watch. She was told that after the next 

feeding session she was to report to room 375. I didn't want her to go. I 

know she didn't want to go either. 'What would happen if you didn't go, 

Scully?' We knew she would get shocked like I did when I called her name. 

Scully said that maybe she could find a way for us to escape when she went 

there. I still don't want her to go but she gets mad and says she hates it 

when I try to protect her.]

The video Mulder smiles. [We took turns taking showers. The bathroom had 

no door. She was watching me in the shower as she was getting undressed. 

She didn't know I saw her watching me, or that I could even see her, 

because I watched her in the mirror. She was so, so beautiful. Her eyes 

traced my form, slowly, from head to foot. I could tell she wanted me just 

as much as I wanted her.]

[I finished and it was her turn. I couldn't see her in the mirror from my 

side of the bed. I sneaked a quick glance over at her, trying not to get 

caught.] The Mulder on the tape took a long, deep, audible breath. [I 

couldn't believe how perfect she was.] He ducked and covered his head. 

['Mulder!'] he imitated her. [She caught me so I stood up and dropped my 

towel. 'Ok, Scully, now we're even.']

Scully stopped the tape. "OK, Mulder. That's what I remember."

"That you wanted me?"

Scully smiled coyly. "The pot calling the kettle black. I can't wait to 

hear you describe the rest of our adventure, now."

The tape reinforced her memory. Once more, she felt the physical response 

that accompanied it. Mulder noticed her breathing had become more rapid 

and shallow. I want to remember what she is remembering!

She started the tape again.

Mulder continued. [Just then the door opened. Scully left first. I wasn't 

hungry and I wanted to see if Scully's idea about going the other way would 

work. I reached a certain point and everyone was going in the same 

direction I was again. It was like a maze with two paths. We all ended up 

at the feeding area. I did notice that there were large double doors that 

were closed at various points in the path. There was one set that was open 

that no one was traveling through.]

[I sat down next to Scully and we ate in silence. At the sound of the 

bell, I tried to follow Scully down the hallway to go to 375. She looked 

at me to stop but it was too late. 'OWWW!!!'] Both the taped Mulder and 

the Mulder sitting next to Scully writhed in pain, grabbing their shoulders 

and right arms. Scully went to stop the tape but Mulder stopped her. On 

the tape, Mulder continued to describe what happened. [I pulled myself 

across the floor back to the hallway my room was on and the pain stopped.] 

He started crying in the video. [But when Scully tried to come back it 

shocked her.]

Mulder went to stop the tape because this time Scully started grabbing her 

neck in pain. "No, Mulder! Let it continue!"

Mulder continued to sob on the tape. [I had to let her go.] Tears ran 

down his face on the screen. Scully could see the sorrow in Mulder's eyes 

as he watched himself on the tape. [I didn't see her for over three days! 

I kept hoping she escaped but I could feel her close to me in pain. I 

thought of her constantly. When I took my shower, I could remember her 

standing there washing herself just the other day. I couldn't get the 

image of her smiling and playfully splashing water at me out of my mind. 

When I closed my eyes, I remembered her lying next to me. I could smell 

her sweet scent and feel the warmth of her body next to mine. I didn't say 

it! I had the chance and I didn't tell her.]

Dr. Werber interrupted Mulder. Scully was disappointed that he didn't let 

Mulder continue. [Did she come back?]

[No, the tape in my room told me to go room 375. It was my turn now.]

End of Penny Serenade (3/4)

Penny Serenade (4/4)

The hypnotized Mulder continued his story. [I thought I would find her so 

I went willingly to room 375. She wasn't there when I got in the room. 

They grabbed me and stuck a needle in my arm. I was too weak to stand and 

fell. That's all I remember.]

[Who grabbed you, Mulder?]

[I didn't see them. They grabbed me from behind.]

[What do you remember next?]

[I woke up in bed next to Scully. She was calling my name telling me she 

needed my help.] Scully smiled when she heard this, remembering how she 

woke him up in the hospital. ['Scully, uh, what happened? Are you OK, 

Scully?'] Mulder stopped the tape.

"Scully, I remember waking up! I pulled the sheets up to look down. You 

asked me if I was still intact. I said I was and I told you to go take a 

shower so I could see if it still functions." Scully smiled at him, 

although she didn't share this memory.

He continued on the tape. [I told her I had been taken to room 375 three 

days after she was taken. She said we needed to examine each other for 

implants. 'Oh Scully! I can see that I am still functioning.'] They both 

laughed as they watched Mulder say this on the tape. [She pleaded with me 

to try and think of it as a professional medical exam. I went to take a 

cold shower so that I could go through with it. She felt the cold water 

splash on her and asked why I was taking a cold shower. 'What, Dr. Scully? 

How else am I going to be professional about this?']

['Ohhhh...' She ran her fingers along my back, and inspected every inch of 

my flesh from the hair on my head to the bottoms of my feet. Magic 

fingers. Luckily the cold water still had its effect on me. That and 

forcing myself to think of Flukeman in the sewer kept my responses to her 

touch under control.] Scully and Mulder on the couch exchanged glances. 

Both were starting to feel the same desire they felt during the "exams."

[She didn't find anything on me and it was my turn to examine her. She 

took her clothes off quickly and watched me as I examined every inch of 

her. I ran my fingers slowly along her neck and back and she thought I 

couldn't see her face. But I could- the mirror again. She closed her eyes 

and opening her mouth slightly, took a long, slow breath. I guess she 

couldn't be 'professional' with this. The ecstasy showed on her face. I 

was doing this to her with my touch. I was glad I had a towel on during 

this part. I finished my intimate inspection.]

['Agent Scully, we truly have no secrets from each other now.' But we did. 

I still hadn't told her how I felt.]

Mulder paused for a few more seconds and continued. [We couldn't figure 

out why they let us stay in the same room, but we didn't complain; we were 

together. We watched our tape and it gave us instructions for a morning 

exercise session we were supposed to attend. We continued to work on 

gathering enough information to plan an escape attempt. We attended our 

feeding sessions and exercise sessions that day. The exercise room had 

machines that we worked out on for an hour. We were the only ones there. 

There was no other way out of the room. That night, I kissed her goodnight 

and we slept safe in each other's arms.]

[The next morning brought more of the same. The videotape we received was 

the same as the previous day. We were becoming comfortable with having to 

undress and shower in front of each other and we were almost working out a 

morning routine. We started mapping out the facility as we knew it. There 

was a hallway of rooms with 200 series numbers. That was where our room 

was. There was a 100 series hallway that ran perpendicular to our hallway. 

I went through that way the day I took the other way to lunch. Then there 

was the 300 series hallway room 375 was on.]

Mulder starting crying on the tape again. [Room 375. I failed to protest 

her again. Just as I failed to protect her from Duane Barry the first 

time. Just as I failed to protect Samantha. I am a failure as a man. I 

fail to protect the women I love.] Scully stopped the tape and they both 

remained silent. Mulder expected her to get angry about his protective 

feelings for her.

"Mulder, whatever happened, it was not your fault!" Scully sighed and then 

realized that she was once again denying him the right to his feelings. He 

was reliving Samantha's abduction, over and over again.

"I know- stop trying to protect me, Mulder," he imitated her.

"No, Mulder, it's ok." She hugged him and kissed him to reassure him that 

she didn't think he was any less of a man from what happened. They started 

with a light kiss, and followed it with a deeper, more determined kiss. 

Since their return, their relationship was undergoing a slow transition 

from profound friendship to strong physical longing for each other.

Mulder set the VCR back to play. [We couldn't figure out a way of 

disabling the collars; there was no way out. We didn't even know where we 

were or who our captors were. Maybe we just sit this thing out and they 

return us after it's over just like they returned Scully last time. And we 

won't remember a thing! Hell, we don't remember what just happened to us 

in room 375!]

[Suddenly the TV turned itself on. I couldn't believe what was on. 

'Scully, I was just kidding about putting in the Playboy channel for me.' 

I looked over and she was smirking at me. 'I'll see what else is on.' No 

matter what channel I turned it to, the same sex scene was on. I knew they 

were controlling what we were watching. Now I can't even turn it down or 

turn it off.]

He imitated Scully, ['Mulder, are you suggesting that we have been abducted 

by aliens who are trying to make us believe we are still on Earth by 

showing us TV?']

He paused. ['What's more interesting to me now, Scully, is why whoever has 

abducted us is forcing us to stay in this room alone together watching 

dirty movies?' Scully walked over to the TV set and put a towel over the 

screen.]

['You can lead a horse to water, Mulder...'] he imitated Scully again. 

[She grinned at me in that irresistible way. I gave her my puppy-dog look 

back. 'Aw come on, Agent Scully, what's wrong with drinking the water? 

Scully, seriously, what if they are watching us?']

He switched to her voice again. ['Maybe they are planning to videotape it 

so they can show us to the others and get them to do it.']

His voice returned to normal. ['All joking aside, what if this is another 

one of their tests?' Now that we knew what was expected of us, we agreed 

it would be the last thing we intended to do. The next couple of weeks 

went by. Each day there was something different- one day it was romantic 

music, then the hot water started turning cold except for five minutes each 

day so we were forced to take showers together from then on, strange scents 

were found in the clothing we were given...]

[One time it was a rose on Scully's side of the bed when we returned from 

our evening feeding session. I was in a playful mood. I took the rose and 

held it with my teeth. 'Come on, my dear, let's Tango!' I gave her a very 

seductive smile and she took my hand to join me. 'Ta da da da da'... was 

the best Tango music I could provide through clenched teeth as we danced 

close together in the tiny space between the bed and the wall.]

[She smiled seductively and looked up at me. She had never seemed more 

beautiful to me. 'Here Mulder, let me help you.' She reached up to my 

lips to take the rose away from me with her mouth. Right after I got out 

the last "da" I dipped her back to the bed. Still holding her we remained 

there for a moment gazing into each other's eyes. I could feel our hearts 

racing and the short deep breaths we were both taking. We both knew they 

were in trouble. I used my mouth to take the rose away from Dana's mouth 

and threw it aside. Able to resist no longer, I lowered my lips slowly to 

hers and kissed her passionately. We forgot all about where we were and 

what our agreement was. There was no one else in our private world at that 

moment and it didn't really matter what was in store for us in our future. 

We let go of all resistance and surrendered to our mutual desire.] Mulder 

stopped the tape.

"Dana, the rose image..." She nodded in agreement. "I felt every sensation 

I felt that night."

"So did I, Fox." Her voice lowered to a soft, sexy whisper. "I'm still 

experiencing it." Fox raised her chin up and reached down to kiss her. 

Their tongues hungrily extended into each other's mouths, as they held 

each other tightly, reliving their first time.

"Dana, let's watch the rest of this tomorrow," Fox suggested as they 

descended to the floor...

Fox's Apartment

The Next Morning

Dana awoke once again in Mulder's arms on the couch. This time it wasn't a 

dream or part of a flashback- it was real, it had happened! She felt his 

body next to hers and closed her eyes. I still can't believe this is 

happening! 

Fox had watched Dana fall asleep in his arms after their lovemaking. For 

the first time in his life, he felt truly happy; his life was now complete. 

Awake now, he kissed her lightly on each of her eyelids.

"Good morning," she uttered, still a bit groggy.

"It's a very good morning," he responded.

"You know, I don't think the three of us are going to fit on this couch 

like this very much longer," she smiled at him as she got up from the couch 

and stretched out her arms and yawned.

"Let's finish watching the tape, Dana. There isn't much more left." He 

started the VCR and she sat down next to her.

[The next morning we realized we had given in to our passion and talked 

about what might happen next.] He recited their conversation:

['Maybe they might let us go now, Mulder.' A look of fear was in her eyes. 

'Or maybe they might separate us.']

['I don't think so Scully, the Playboy Channel is still on. I never 

thought I would get so sick of...']

['You have me here, Mulder. Why would you still be interested in that 

stuff?']

['Maybe they want us to keep going with this. Maybe we should do what they 

want.']

['Mulder, maybe they are trying to breed us to populate this other planet 

we're on.']

['Funny Scully.']

['Funny's right, Mulder, because they made me infertile the last time they 

took me.']

[She pulled me down on the bed. We continued like this for weeks. 

Although we were content to be with each other, we missed our freedom. 

'Scully, I want to take you for long walks on a beach. Hell, I would even 

settle for a night with you in the forest right now!' We continued to look 

for ways to escape.]

[One day Scully and I discovered that we could short the electric shock 

from our collars by holding hands and having our elbow bands touch so they 

shorted out. It made sense. The shock travels from the elbow to the neck 

band. You can't touch your elbow to your neck to short it out, but what if 

you touched another person's elbow band? We decided to test it out the 

next time we were allowed out.]

[It worked! We went down a forbidden hallway and we didn't get shocked. 

We were able to talk and didn't get shocked. Our plan was to go down the 

300 series hallway to see where it led. It was a dead end. Room 375 was 

locked. Scully wanted to try shorting the electronic door locks with our 

elbows. The lock released and the door opened. We ventured into the room. 

There was no one in there. The room was empty except for some beds with 

straps on them. We walked slowly to the other side of the room where there 

was another door. This time the door was unlocked. We slowly opened the 

door and were surprised at what we found.]

[I guess I didn't know what to expect- little greys monitoring cameras, I 

don't know. What we saw was a whole room of electronic equipment and 

computers. It looked like the control room for the facility. The funny 

thing was- there was no one at the controls! Someone, or something, 

grabbed us from behind again and that's the last thing I remember.]

The rest of the tape showed Mulder being brought out of his temporary 

trance. They shut the VCR off.

After listening to the entire tape, Dana and Fox remembered enough of what 

happened to believe that the rest of the details were an accurate account 

of what occurred. They still didn't know what happened to them in room 375 

or how they were captured or returned.

Fox made Dana breakfast. "It was really sweet of you to prepare these 

bowls of cereal for us, Mulder."

You're eating for two now, Dana. You know you shouldn't skip meals. I 

hope you don't mind having your Cheerios with water."

"Mulder..." she started feeling strange calling him Mulder. He had started 

calling her Dana and didn't seem to mind that she was calling him Fox. 

Maybe he was getting over his fear of getting close to her. "Fox, we're 

free, we're together and soon our son will be joining us. That is all that 

matters right now." Tears began to flow down her cheek. "I didn't think I 

would ever be able to have children!"

Fox placed his hand on her stomach that was beginning to swell, and smiled. 

"Finally I can allow myself to be happy about this because I know you're 

happy about it. I guess when you got mad at me, Dana, I sent you the 

flowers because subconsciously I knew that the rose was the aphrodisiac 

that finally worked on us."

Suddenly Scully's expression changed to one of worry. "Mulder, even though 

I remember everything, there are still a lot of unanswered questions. Why 

was this done to us? Do I have to worry now that they will try to take our 

baby from us?" Her fear of closeness appeared to be returning.

"I can understand how you feel, Dana. It's just like that Cary Grant movie 

we watched together the other night, 'Penny Serenade'. First your ability 

to have children was taken away from you, then you were given a child and 

she was taken away from you. Now you have another chance to have a child 

and it's perfectly natural to worry that he will be taken away from you."

"For once, Fox Mulder, I believe you understand what I am feeling right 

now."

"I'm beginning to get good at this, Dana Scully, hopefully soon to be Dana 

Scully Mulder, just give me a chance. I promise I will make a good father 

to our child. Right now, I will do whatever it takes to ensure the 

happiness of the family we are starting."

He sneaked a marriage proposal in there! "Oh, Fox. I don't think I've 

actually said this yet, but I love you so much."

"We didn't have to say it to each other, Dana. I am sure you have always 

known how much I love you."

"Maybe I didn't Fox, maybe I only saw you trying to protect me as a way of 

making up for failing to protect Samantha..." She saw the hurt look in his 

eyes and stopped. "I'm sorry. In any case, I see it now." They kissed 

passionately. This time they knew that the future was waiting for them and 

they would face it together.

End of Penny Serenade (4/4)


End file.
